The ordinance was issued on December 1 by the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department after the Governor determined there was an urgent need for legal intervention while the Provincial Assembly was not in session.
The fresh ordinance comes amid a rise in deaths and injuries linked to sharp kite string, particularly metallic wire and chemically coated maanjha used during seasonal kite flying. Authorities say the new rules aim to curb the use of hazardous materials and impose strict penalties on violators ahead of the winter and spring months, when kite-related incidents typically surge.
Under the ordinance, flying a kite, assisting kite flying, or producing, storing, transporting or selling any kite or dangerous string is prohibited unless permitted under regulated conditions.
Offenders face harsh punishments: three to five years in prison and fines up to Rs2 million for flying or abetting kite flying, and five to seven years imprisonment plus fines up to Rs5 million for manufacturing or trading banned string or kites.
Children found violating the law will be dealt with under the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, with fines of Rs50,000 for the first offence and Rs100,000 for repeat violations; unpaid fines will be recovered from parents or guardians.
Another key provision makes all offences non-bailable and cognizable, allowing police to arrest violators without a warrant. Manufacturers and traders will now be required to register with the Deputy Commissioner to legally produce or sell permissible kite-flying materials.
Anyone operating without registration may face up to five years imprisonment and fines up to Rs500,000. The government has also introduced whistle-blower protections, though no reward will be granted for information already known or deemed unhelpful to authorities.
The ordinance overrides all other conflicting laws and formally repeals the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Ordinance 2001, while keeping previous actions taken under the old law intact. It authorises the provincial government and the Home Department’s Secretary to issue rules, regulations and guidelines for implementation through notifications in the official Gazette.
Approved by Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan and issued by Law Secretary Muhammad Asif Balal Lodhi, the ordinance establishes a stricter regulatory framework that allows permissible kite flying only under controlled settings, while aiming to reduce injuries, improve oversight, and strengthen accountability across Punjab.